


Pins and Needles

by OutcastTrip1995



Series: Mer Clones AU [3]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Blood and Gore, Body Horror, Body Modification, Evil Scientist is Evil, Jesse feels so useless, Lotta pain in this one, Poor Kix!, The Seppie Plot continues, Transformation, and blood, mermaid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-09-14
Packaged: 2019-07-12 07:11:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15990245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OutcastTrip1995/pseuds/OutcastTrip1995
Summary: A nice quiet night in the medbay for Kix? Such things don't exist.





	Pins and Needles

**Author's Note:**

> It continues! ^^
> 
> Usual warning: yeah; transformations are not pretty and they hurt. You have been warned. 
> 
> "[ 'blah' ]" = mers communicating

Kix sighed quietly as he sat back away from his desk, setting the last of his day’s medical reports down and rubbing a tense spot on the back of his neck. The 501st was in turmoil at the moment, what with Captain Rex mysteriously disappearing after a battle, then ARC Troopers Echo and Fives had also vanished into the unknown after they left to search for him. It had been two weeks since the ARC’s had last made contact and General Skywalker was tearing his hair out in frustration. Unfortunately, due to his higher rank, Kix was bearing the brunt of said frustration, as well as some of the workload that would have normally been Rex’s responsibility. Thank goodness for Jesse and the sergeants, otherwise he’d be buried in all of Rex’s paperwork, not to mention the reports that Fives was responsible for as Rex’s second. Sighing tiredly the exhausted Chief Medical Officer stood and casually ambled over to the small worktop in his office, or to be more specific, the tray of somewhat cold and congealed dinner on the worktop. Grabbing the mug of cold caf and returning to his chair, Kix took a large mouthful and pulled a face, spitting it back into the mug. He stood, heading over to the sink and emptying the mug, refilling it with water instead. If he was going to have a cold drink, it may as well actually be something that was meant to be cold. Sighing tiredly, he took his mug back to his desk, swallowing a mouthful as he sat down. Running his tongue over his teeth, Kix frowned at the mug. The water was tasting a little off … maybe there was a problem with one of the purification filters again? Shrugging, Kix went back to his almost finished paperwork. It was probably nothing. 

*** 

It was definitely something. A spike of white hot pain lanced through Kix’s body, causing him to drop his pen and curl in on himself. Gasping, Kix looked down at his abdomen and gently pushed, wincing as the pain once again flared. 

“Right …” 

Slowly and stiffly letting to his feet, he stumbled out of his office and over to one of the empty medical beds. Hauling himself onto the bed, Kix frowned and carefully started to work his bodysuit off. He couldn’t inspect his body for any possible causes of this pain if his body was covered up. Thankfully there wasn’t anyone around to see him strip down to his shorts. Another bolt of pain shot through the medic’s legs and he fell back onto the bed with a howl, gritting his teeth as his legs burned. The burning sensation travelled all the way down to his feet and worked its way up his spine, stopping strangely just below his shoulder blades. Kix’s breath came in short pants as he tried to relax back onto the bed, only to jerk forward with a scream as the burning intensified. The medic’s eyes widened with horror as he watched his skin from his stomach down turn a brilliant burning orange-red color, white stripes breaking up the single shade as they wrapped around his legs, his hips and the lower half of his stomach. 

“This … _what is this_?!” 

This was like _nothing_ his medical training had prepared him for. Kix couldn’t look away from his legs, not even as his skin started to seemingly melt, the two limbs slowly melding together into a single unit and causing the legs of his shorts to tear in the process. Kix grit his teeth in an attempt to hold back a groan of pain, he could literally feel his own vertebrae stretching and growing; moving down past his hips to support this … this thing his legs had become. 

“Hey Kixystix, thought I’d bring you a … _what the hell_?!” 

The crash of a mug breaking against the floor and a startled shout dragged Kix out of his terrified single minded focus, the medic looking over to find Jesse standing in the doorway. 

“Jesse … help …” 

“Oh shit, oh shit …” 

Jesse’s face was utter panic as he looked around frantically, unsure of what to do. He jumped when Kix screamed again in pain, the medic writhing in pain before rolling over onto his stomach as a sickening crunching sound echoed around the medbay. Looking over his shoulder as he panted from sheer mental and physical exhaustion, Kix’s sweat drenched face paled. His feet … well, he could sort of identify his toes? Maybe? They had stretched out, becoming thin orange and white striped rods interconnected by a thin, near translucent, webbing of skin. His actual feet however, seemed to have melded into the single limb that was once his legs. Groaning, Kix looked away and buried his face in the bed as his toes slowly rotated; the rods that were once his little toes now pointing towards the ceiling and the floor. Feeling utterly useless, and rather sick, a pale faced Jesse nervously approached the medic and sat next to him, using a damp cloth he’d found to wipe away the sweat from Kix’s face. 

“Kix … who did this to you? What’s happening?” 

“I …” Kix leaned into the damp cloth, the cool temperature bringing him a little relief. “I don’t know Jesse.” 

Jesse was about to offer some comforts when Kix screamed again in agony, his back arching up off the bed. Slowly, oh so agonisingly slowly, the skin on his back started to twist and stretch, pushing towards the ceiling as a row of striped spines. The spines kept growing, small banners of skin hanging off each one, until they must have been as long as Jesse’s arm! Each spine ended in a sharp point and Jesse couldn’t help but flinch away from them and Kix as the medic writhed in agony and the spines came dangerously close to Jesse’s face. Twisting his face slightly, Kix winced. 

“Sorry Jesse.” 

“It’s alright. This … this isn’t exactly something we’re trained for vod.” 

Trying to make light of the situation, Jesse grinned weakly at the medic. 

“Y’know, you’re starting to look like a _mermaid_!” 

That … that did not impress Kix. Not one bit. Heaving himself up onto one shaky arm, he glared flatly at Jesse. 

“Have you been reading that fairytale book that Dogma swears isn’t his and yet hides under his bunk anyway?” 

Jesse’s response was drowned out though as Kix screamed again, thrashing about on the bed until he almost fell off. There were two small lumps growing, one on either side of what used to be the medic’s hips. As Jesse watched and Kix howled, the lumps only grew, several ‘fingers’ pushing their way out almost like rollerfish fins. Jesse had to back away to avoid being speared by the developing fins, his face turning a slight green shade as the ‘fingers’ finished forming, each one ending in a vicious looking point. Like with Kix’s feet (or whatever it was they now were, Jesse was currently likening them to some sort of tailfin), translucent skin connected each ‘finger with the others. They were definitely fins. Kix panted as the pain temporarily abated, the medic’s entire body trembling from the stress. Looking over at Jesse, he huffed. 

“Just in case your incredibly poor attempt at a joke is right; go fill one of the bacta tanks up with saline for me will you?” 

That was the only thing he knew the tanks could be programmed to fill with without having awkward questions asked. Watching as Jesse scrambled around to complete his task, Kix winced again and awkwardly looked over his shoulder. The sight made him shudder … what the hell had happened to him?! Was it over? 

*** 

Nope, not over at all. Kix coughed, blood splattering onto the bed much to the medic’s alarm. Now what?! As he continued coughing more blood up, he felt a stabbing pain in his mouth. Bracing his elbow against the bed, Kix put a hand to his mouth and let out another painful cough. Feeling some small lumps fall into his hand, he pulled away and cried out in alarm. Teeth?! As more teeth came loose and fell out, all Kix could do was cry out in pain. His mouth felt like it was on fire, needles stabbing into his gums. No … not stabbing in, more like stabbing out. As the pain slowly receded again, Kix warily probed around his mouth with his tongue; already wan skin going near grey as he felt the sharp, thin spike like teeth that had replaced his actual teeth. 

“Kix?” 

Jesse ran back over to the distressed medic, hauling him up into his arms. Seeing the state of the medic’s mouth, he winced sympathetically and carried Kix over to the prepped bacta tank. 

“I filled it up like you asked … but how’re you gonna _breathe_ in there? D’you want me to hook up a respirator?” 

Kix slapped a hand to the side of his neck, a pained grimace passing over his face. 

“Something … something tells me that won’t be necessary vod.” 

Jesse nodded, awkwardly helping Kix into the tank. Holding onto the rim, Kix grimly grit his new teeth, struggling to not howl as thin slits opened up: three on both sides of his neck. As the ability to breathe became more and more difficult, Kix instinctively inhaled and let go of the tank rim, allowing himself to sink into the salty medical water solution. Breathing became easier again, the slits flaring slightly as he tried to breathe normally. Placing his hands on the wall of the tank, absently noting that there was now webbing in between his fingers and slight scales running up his arms, Kix smiled tiredly at Jesse. No more pain appeared to be forthcoming … it looked like things were over. 

“[Thanks Jesse.]” 

Eyes widening in alarm, Kix gripped at his throat. That … _that wasn’t Basic_?! Sure he heard his words, but he also heard a strange … drumming sound? Was it drumming? It certainly sounded similar to that bass drum he’d seen at 79’s that one night a band had graced the bar with their presence. The panicked look on Jesse’s face told Kix all he needed to know and the medic placed his hands back on the tank again, a fearful look on his handsome features. 

“[You … you can’t understand me can you? Jesse? _Jesse tell me you can understand me_?!]” 

“Kix … I have no idea what you’re saying vod! I don’t speak … whatever it is you’re speaking!” 

Jesse slowly backed away from the tank, panic making his movements jerky and uncoordinated, totally unlike the smooth, confident movements Kix was used to seeing from the other trooper. Looking around, Jesse’s eyes widened before he looked back at Kix. 

“I … I’m gonna go get the General!” 

Kix could only sigh and watch as Jesse ran out of the medbay. Maybe the General could shed some light on things; but he very much doubted it. Hells, he didn’t have any clue what had happened or what had caused this and he was a medic! How would a Jedi, even one as skilled as General Skywalker, know when he didn’t!? 

*** 

“Well Jesse; when you told me Kix was in trouble, I didn’t think _this_ was what you meant.” 

General Skywalker folded his arms, a look that was both curious and concerned on his face as he looked at the Chief Medical Officer of the 501st. Whatever it was that Kix now was, he was certainly a rather attractive creature. Flamboyant white stripes raced down a tail that was an orange that seemed to change shades depending on the light; delicate seeming and yet clearly powerful and sharp fins shifted to keep the medic balanced while large spines rose and fell with the medic’s movements. Whistling quietly, the General let out a thoughtful sound before shaking his head. 

“I have no idea what caused this … and communication it seems is gonna have to be in sign if all attempts at verbal communication haven’t worked.” 

Placing a hand on the tank containing Kix, General Skywalker gave a determined nod to the medic. 

“We’ll figure this out Kix, I promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> What d'you guys think? ^^
> 
> If anyone has ideas for what aquatic species they want certain clones to become; lemme know over on my tumblr: @outcastcommander ! ^^


End file.
